941 Theater Blog

this is the second test

test

The Screen Savers – Sept 23 2009

When you hear about Philly’s movie scene, you rarely hear much beyond the Hollywood productions that deign to use our city as a poor man’s stand-in for pricier locales. But the boys behind 941 Theater — Nick Esposito, Doug Sakmann and Zafer Ulkücü — are doing more for local film, simply by giving movie-makers a screen for their work.

Esposito, Sakmann, Ulkücü, filmmakers themselves, got into the screening business through their now-eight-year-old Backseat Film Fest, which led them to their current NoLibs home (941 N. Front St, 941theater.com). The theater operates under the nonprofit Philadelphia Friends of the Projected Arts, which stresses seeing films on the big screen — rather than a computer or iPod — and the communal aspect of going to the movies.

It’s what 941 is capable of that makes them exciting. There’s no agenda. In addition to having the cheapest rental rates in the city, 941’s setup is tantalizing: A night can start in the venue’s considerably roomy lobby and move to the 100-seat screening room, which can also be converted into a 200-capacity concert venue.

Looking ahead, 941 wants to strengthen ties with indie distributors and host more revival nights. “It’s getting easier to show your films as a young filmmaker, but it’s getting harder to make money off it. A perfect situation would be some filmmakers, they raise some money, they make a good film, they do theatrical screenings, they make their money back and make more movies,” says Esposito. “Every project people do is theoretically better than the last one.”

Philly City Paper - Sept 23rd 2009

That’s right, the 941 Theater has been named ‘Best New Venue of 2009′ by Philadelphia Magazine in their annual ‘Best of Philly’ issue!!

“Northern Liberties is even cooler thanks to this 150 seat non-profit theater, which hosts everything from independent and repertory film to literary events, quirky craft shows, live bands, DJ’s…and oh, they serve beer!”

Check it out in August’s Philadelphia Magazine, on newsstands now!

Check out the write up on Thrillist!

Raspberry Brothers Bad Movie Night
Fri, Aug 14, 9pm (The Karate Kid) & 11:30pm (Footloose) at 941 Theater: 941 N Front St, between Girard & Poplar; Northern Liberties; 215.235.1385

Further live MST3K-age comes from the Raspberry Brothers (pedigree: The Onion & SNL writers, Upright Citizens Brigade), who’ll plop down in the front row at 941 Theater this Friday to provide snarky commentary and inject ad-libbed overdubs into a double-feature screening of 1984’s The Karate Kid & Footloose. Best of all, the whole thing’s BYOB, so go ahead and sweep the keg, Johnny.

$10 per film or $15 for the double feature — check out a sneak peek of the Brothers’ expert lampoonery at YouTube.com

Raspberry Brothers Official Website
——————————————————————————–
About the 941 Show:
On Friday, August 14th, the 941 Theater presents a very special tribute to the year 1984, featuring NYC’s #1 movie commentary comedy group, the Raspberry Brothers. Like a live take on Mystery Science Theater 3000, this team of top NYC comics sit front row center at the movies, mocking films as they play. The Raspberry Brothers, who perform weekly at Chelsea Cinemas, one of Manhattan’s premiere art-house film theaters, includes a cast of comedy writers and performers who contribute to SNL and the Onion. They have received numerous awards, garnering critic’s picks from the New York Times, Time Out, and the Decider.

1984 was to be an infamous year, due to writer George Orwell, who envisioned a dark time for civilization. He imagined a 1984 populace dominated by an omnipotent and ubiquitous government, one that closely monitored and interfered with people’s lives.

In America, President Ronald Reagan was encouraging such fears with the nuclear arms race, strict anti-obscenity laws, and domestic policies that seemed to invade personal freedoms. So what was the response of our American motion picture artists? Footloose and Karate Kid!

These two films, released in 1984, were a reaction to the oppression that Americans were experiencing. They feature protagonists who fight the powers that be…with their feet. Let the foot set you free! Kick off your Sunday shoes and beat back those bullies with a roundhouse kick…or get those feet dancing and enlighten the narrow-minded members of the town council by throwing a prom!

On August 14th the Raspberry Brothers will be lampooning Karate Kid and Footloose in a double feature sure to enlighten viewers into the social psychology of the year 1984. Karate Kid begins at 9:00 and Footloose at 11:30.

KARATE KID: You’ll recognize the setup: the new kid in town is having trouble fitting in. Does he turn the town upside-down with dancing? No. Does he befriend an outer space alien? No. But he does learn the ancient art of Karate by performing a series of household chores for an aging Asian janitor. This movie birthed the Karate craze that swept the nation in the mid 1980s. It also put Ralph Macchio on the map…and left him there. Put on your robe, tie on that black belt, and come join the Raspberry boys as they journey back to a simpler decade when teenage angst could be mellowed by learning to “Wax On, Wax Off.”

FOOTLOOSE: Jack, get back, ’cause it’s Footloose, the sweet 80’s story about a big-city, thin-tie wearing rebel trapped in a rural Midwestern town, who dances his way into the hearts of the local hicks, and into the pants of the local chicks. See Kevin Bacon compete in a deadly slow game of “chicken” using tractors…see Sarah Jessica Parker talk about diaphrams…see Sean Penn’s little brother breakdance…and see a whole lot of Coca-Cola product placement. So let’s hear it for the boys, Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Scott Rogowsky, as they promise to fry a lot of Bacon with this one!

Footloose and the Karate Kid

For one night only, see and hear Björk’s “Voltaic: The Volta Tour Live in Paris” in glorious high definition video and audio in one of North America’s greatest new venues. The 941 Theater’s beautiful new theater, with its state of the art equipment, provides the optimal situation for viewing and hearing this concert film from one of the most innovative artists of our time.

“Voltaic: The Volta tour Live in Paris and Reykjavik” is a remarkable, multi-media document of Björk’s visually dazzling Volta tour. Full of on-your-feet moments, the film features highlights recorded in Paris and Reykjavik, with performances of songs from Volta as well as earlier tracks including Hunter, Joga, Army of Me, and Hyperballad.

Björk’s band on the Volta tour included Mark Bell (LFO) on computers and keyboards and Damian Taylor on keyboards and programming. Drums and percussion were played by Chris Corsano (Sonic Youth, etc.); Jónas Sen played piano, harpsichord, and church organ; and Björk’s all female Icelandic 10-piece brass section rounded out the group. A dynamic, grand live experience, the Volta tour has been acclaimed around the world.

Directed by Russell Thomas. Produced by Andy Derbyshire. Musical and creative direction by Björk. Running time: 71:14

“Björk delivers a performance as visually spectacular as it is musically innovative. Fifteen years into her solo career, Björk remains the least compromising and most fantastical pop superstar talent.”

- The Guardian

“No other songwriter can sound so naïve and so instinctual while building such elaborate structures. And few musicians have managed to sustain her unlikely combination of avant-gardism and pop visibility.”

- Jon Pareles, The New York Times

More info can be found at:
More info at www.cinemapurgatorio.com/ and www.bjork.com

NYC’s Premiere Animation Fest hits the 941 with 3 screenings!
Some call it punk rock, some call it grass roots, but labels aside – NYC based Animation Block Party is dedicated to exhibiting the world’s best independent, professional and student animation. The program will include 2005 shorts “Breakfast” from Bob Fox and “Binge and Purge” from Ben Meinhardt, both of which were developed into broadcast series in association with the festival. “Breakfast” the series premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2009 and “Binge and Purge” became “Perfectland” which premiered on MTV in April of 2008. Other keynote films at this exclusive 941 screening will include 2008 “best student film” winner “In the Beginning” from Choom, 2008 “best experimental film” winner “Trepan Hole” from Andy Cahill, Michael Langan’s PSA “Intelligent Life” and “Cooking 420 with Chef Barry” by Chelsea Manifold and starring Martin Abrahams as the legendary master chef.

Z:\WORK_FOLDERS\work_blair\animationblock

By Matt Godfrey – Star News

“It’s a totally different experience to watch a movie in a theater than it is watching a DVD at home,” explained Doug Sakmann, co-founder of the local production company Backseat Conceptions.

It was a similar notion that sparked the interest of Sakmann and fellow Backseat Conceptions founders Zafer Ulkucu and Nick Esposito to get involved with making movies in the first place.

And with time, that sentiment gestated to a point at which the three needed to help Philadelphia realize what they already knew.

Since their love affair with what they call the “projected arts” began, and more accurately since they teamed up to form Backseat Conceptions in the summer of 2002, the trio has done much for the film scene in Philadelphia.

First came the company, then came the Backseat Film Festival, which just wrapped up its seventh installment; then came last year’s announcement of plans for the 941 Theater, at 941 N. Front St., along with the formation of the nonprofit Philadelphia Friends of the Projected Arts.

The 941 Theater, whose grand opening coincided with this year’s festival, was conceived as a showcase for independent movies that might otherwise never be seen in Philadelphia.

“When we opened the theater, we wanted to do as many screenings as possible,” Sakmann said.

Some legwork was needed. The trio had to raise the funds to outfit the theater with a screen and a projector.

In the year that they spent raising that money, however, the theater has nearly exploded as a destination point for bands, parties, craft shows and the occasional zombie dance party.

As they raised funds, the three were able to set up PFPA, which aims to not only advocate for film, but also for the displaying of film throughout the city.

With the proper equipment and the PFPA ready to get going, the theater and its programmers are looking to get back to their initial goal.

And that’s exactly what they are doing with one screening already on the books and a slew of others being announced regularly.

This Sunday at the 941 Theater, a full slate of movies, including Joe Kramer’s 20th Century Boy at 6 p.m., Jonathan Olshefski’s The Scrapper at 7:30 p.m., and Isaac Williams’s The Mind at 8 p.m., will be offered.

Philadelphia filmmakers made all three movies, and the showings will be local premieres.

“Being able to show here is very exciting because the opportunity to do that has dwindled immensely,” said Williams.

The opportunity that the theater provides to raise the profile of indie filmmakers is not lost on Williams either.

“I feel like there are dozens of people making movies in Philly that never would have known of each other unless randomly working together somewhere,” he added.

Through the 941 Theater, and more so the PFPA, the Philadelphia film community is finding potential new avenues for growth.

“Something like this is a godsend for people to get their movies out,” added Kramer. “How many films with ‘real’ actors don’t get shown in theaters?”

This Sunday’s slate includes a documentary about a local man who roams the streets at night in search of valuable curbside trash (The Scrapper), a sci-fi drama about a man who mistakenly thinks he’s living in the Roaring ’20s (20th Century Boy) and a horror movie about the resurrection of a long-dead sorcerer (The Mind).

The three very different stories all have one very similar trait: they are all completely independent in their productions and are made by people driven by a passion to tell these stories.

And now, they can share that story instead of having it sit on a shelf somewhere collecting dust.

“Having your movie play in a movie theater gives you better credibility,” explained Sakmann. “Now, a theatrical release is considered promotions for DVD sales (in mainstream film).”

“As we’re figuring out how to get these movies made and shown, our mission is to give the filmmakers a theatrical experience,” Ulkucu said of the PFPA.

In addition to the 941’s Sunday slate, the theater will have its first weeklong run, starting tonight with the romantic comedy Baby On Board, starring Heather Graham, Jerry O’Connell and Lara Flynn Boyle.

The feature, directed by Philly native Brian Herzlinger, tells the story of a married couple dealing with an unexpected pregnancy while both of their careers are just starting to take off.

They have also announced screenings for two upcoming Saturdays, May 30 and June 6.

Saturday, May 30, will be the Philly premiere of Animation Block Party, a sort of “best of” batch of movies from New York City’s “premiere animation festival.”

June 6 will also feature a premiere of Black Devil Doll, an NC-17 rated exploitation film touted as “Chucky from Child’s Play meets Dolemite,” according to the official release.

“You can’t download the experience of going to see a movie on a big screen, in a dark room, with no pause button,” added Ulkucu.

Seeing film in Northern Liberties
The 941 Theater is located at 941 N. Front Street in Northern Liberties. From more information about show times and the screening schedule, visit www.941theater.com.

Independents Day
941 Theater gives three local filmmakers a shot on the silver screen.
by Molly Eichel

When filmmaker Isaac Williams inquired about how to go about screening his horror film, The Mind, the response he received was that it takes careful planning and a lot of money.

“I have a lot of time to plan,” says Williams, “and not a lot of money.”

But by tag teaming with 941 Theater, Williams and two other local filmmakers will get the chance to screen their movies on a large scale. “None of us delude ourselves that thousands of people are going to see these movies,” says Williams. “But it lends a certain legitimacy.”

The informal night of premières begins with Joe Kramer’s 20th Century Boy, about a man who claims to be a soldier from WWI who mysteriously shows up in the present. Kramer made it through two weeks at UArts before defecting for a job at TLA Video, which he calls a mini-film school boot camp. He initially submitted his film to 941’s Backseat Film Festival, but missed the deadline. The 941ers liked it enough to ask Kramer to return.

The Scrapper, a half-hour documentary directed by artist Jonathan Olshefski, is about Joe, a man who glides around Philly on a pair of roller skates with his shopping cart searching for metal to sell to scrap yards. Olshefski was performing a screenwriting exercise at the Steak and Beer under the Somerset El stop when the gregarious Joe struck up a conversation with him. “He approached me and we just sat around and talked about hockey for a couple hours,” says Olshefski. Days later, Olshefski saw Joe again, this time with roller skates and shopping cart in tow, and asked if he could document his life.

Williams’ film, The Mind, rounds out the program. In this horror movie told in vignettes, six average people are mysteriously driven to exhume parts of one skeleton and slowly descend into murderous madness. Williams, who also did time with Kramer at TLA (they worked on each other’s projects), first met 941 co-owner and lead film programmer Zafer lkücü when the two were undergrads at Temple.

Each filmmaker reiterates the importance of having a theater to show off their films.

“For a venue like this, it’s a showcase for your work as it is, how you envision it,” says Olshefski. The big screen treatment is one rarely afforded to independent filmmakers.

“It’s incredibly difficult, time consuming, expensive and painstaking to make a bad movie, let alone a good movie,” says Ulkücü, who plans on making local screenings a recurring event. “I know these guys — they put their hearts and souls and personal relationships on the line to get these movies made. Once this happens, I think they just deserve to be seen and hopefully enjoyed.”

TIME WARP: The glamorous past is juxtaposed with modern-day monotony in area director Joe Kramer's 20th Century Boy.

Check out the article on Citypaper.net